Applied to:
This award recognizes a media campaign that has effectively promoted a hospitality brand or group. The campaignmay have been executed on any media platform, such as television, radio, newspapers, digital displays, social media, or the internet, and should have demonstrated creativity, originality, and relevance to the target audience. The winning campaign will have successfully increased brand awareness and/or customer engagement, resulting in positive business impact for the hospitality brand or group.
The project:
In 2021, Minor Hotels sought to rejuvenate the Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites brand post-lockdowns. Collaborating with creative agency MASH, they developed an integrated campaign for 2022/2023 across Australia and New Zealand, focusing on differentiating Oaks from competitors by emphasizing their "Welcome Home" brand essence.
The campaign strategy addressed key consumer insights: people prioritize solving their own problems and prefer "good enough" solutions over perfection. This insight led to the positioning statement "from Sad to Happy," emphasizing modest expectations for greater happiness.
The media plan, running from October 2022 to March 2023, employed a mix of traditional and digital channels, including brand.com, PPC, SEO, print, outdoor billboards, social media, YouTube, and television. Additionally, PR activities featured Dr. Tim Sharp, aka Dr. Happy, as the brand’s Happiness Expert, promoting the link between happiness and travel.
Activations included the "Scoop of Happy" ice cream giveaway and influencer engagement with the hashtag #ScoopofHappy, reaching over 786,557 people.
Evaluation of the campaign showed significant success:
Overall, the campaign effectively refreshed the Oaks brand, enhancing visibility and consumer engagement.
The Hospitality Awards celebrate innovation and excellence and highlight the most creative initiatives in a sector that is constantly and rapidly changing hospitality.
